All of these moms have taught us, regardless of the obstacle -- be it extreme poverty, gang violence, managing children with special needs or even living in a refugee camp -- that there is nothing that a mom can't do when it comes to nurturing her community.

Too often, these small business owners lack the credit scores needed to access reasonably-priced credit, or savings or a credit card to help them weather the ebbs and flows of a new or growing enterprise.

Foreign assistance is much maligned in the US, especially in periods of fiscal constraint. It is a shame that foreign aid's detractors do not understand that it is clearly in the US national interest to improve economic conditions and reduce violence in countries like Guatemala and Honduras.

While there is no question that wages are a critical component of work, there are also other valuable aspects of a "good" job. Good jobs raise the floor by providing a basic level of stability through decent wages, benefits, stable schedules, well-structured responsibilities, safety, fairness and respect, and good communication.

The curriculum taught at Ayalagaya are the same as for all public secondary schools throughout Tanzania. The school motto is "Education for Creativity." Meet the teachers of Ayalagaya Secondary and two students: Florentina and Jackson.

Taking advantage of the skills training provided by his new employer, Shivanandan diversified his weaving designs and became secretary of his local weavers' trust. And in a lottery-based award system through BDT, Shivanandan got to travel to India's capital city, Delhi, to visit other artisans in the large Dilli Haat gift-market.

eBay paints a remarkable new portrait of exporters in the digital age and should spark a discussion about how policymakers can remove more of the obstacles that would allow exporters to meet the needs of international customers.

One of the reasons why Project GRACE is so impressive is because of the support networks it creates between farmers living with HIV. Through these networks farmers share their practical knowledge with one another and support each other.

Project GRACE started in 2009 and provides small loans in the form of poultry and livestock to its participants who work together as well as encourage others to get tested for HIV at Bishop Asili, their local hospital.

The U.S. microenterprise field is over 25 years old now, and there are hundreds of organizations that will be looking at leadership transition over the coming years. What's the best way to engage the best and the brightest of the Millennials to step up?

I would rather give the Ugandan women goats. I would rather give them a business that they can grow and sell in their own backyards. This way, they can depend on their own destiny and their own business prowess.